"I am Princess Cherene Jennet Sherwood of Mearsies Heili, hater of evil, foe to all villains, and wielder of the prune pie of justice!"

That's how CJ Sherwood introduces herself when she lands into her craziest adventure yet. In this, the second volume of CJ's records, she and her gang of friends gathered around the thirteen year old queen, Clair Sherwood, find themselves beset by magical spells and various villains. They still manage to have fun in the underground hideout in the middle of Mearsies Heili's woodland.

CJ loves life with "the M girls"so she is completely unprepared to be taken away and put in a silken prison in order to forget being a princess. As CJ uses her brains and imagination to get out of trouble, she has to think about what being a princess really means.

She also discovers that there are things even tougher to deal with than terrible enchantments, sinister shadows, and lurking villains: teenage boys.

In this much-anticipated prequel to Crown Duel, Vidanric Renselaeus, fifteen-year-old Marquis of Shevraeth, finds himself sent across the continent to a military academy in Marloven Hess, a kingdom known for its violent history.

Vidanric is used to civilized life in pleasant Remalnaexcept that the evidence is increasingly clear that the civilization is only on the surface. Too many young, smart heirs have suffered accidents of late, and the evidence is beginning to point to the king, Galdran, who has grandiose plans for expansion.

In Marloven Hess, no one can pronounce his real names, and they assume his title is his name. He becomes Shevraethdiscovering that there are no marquises or dukes or barons in this kingdom, and no one has the slightest interest in Remalna. Or in foreigners. Until very recently, the academy was closed to outsiders. But the kingalso fifteen, and recently come to his throne after a nasty civil warwants him there.

Learning about command turns out to be very different than Shevraeth had assumed, and the Marlovens, who are going through political and social change at all levels, are not at all what he expected. He makes friends as well as enemies; experiences terror and laughter as well as challenges on the field and off.

He discovers friendship, loyaltyand love.

All the while greater events in the world are moving inexorably toward conflagration, drawing the smartest of the young people into key positionswhether they want it or not. They’re going to have to be ready.

"Involving characters, exquisite world building, politics, intrigue, and choices to be made between love, school and country. A Stranger to Command has everything. Drop what you're doing and read it immediately."
Justine Larbalestier, author of How to Ditch Your Fairy

"War games. Courtly Vidanric, sent for his own protection to train as a warrior in a foreign land four months' journey from home, considers himself alien, sensitive, weak, and ignorant among his fellow cadets. Remaining a study in courage and integrity, despite the grinding discipline that takes away even his name, Vidanric's soldier's skills grow swordblade sharp even as he also learns lessons of the heart. But capability, responsibility, and all-too-real invasion come together as Vidanric realizes that not only is he being trained for kingship, he’s capable of it, too . . . A diamond-bright portrait of a harsh and magical journey to adulthood."
Elizabeth E. Wein, author of The Mark of Solomon

"Sherwood Smith's universe is so detailed at this point that you feel like a traveller in a real foreign land—charmed, sometimes bewildered, and finally at home with no desire to leave. This book deals thoughtfully with the creation of a hero, and also creates an exciting, occasionally-painful, and always absorbing adventure."
Sarah Rees Brennan, author of The Demon's Lexicon

Rhis, princess of a small kingdom, is invited along with all the other princesses in her part of the world to the coming of age party of the Crown Prince of Vesarja, which is the central and most important kingdom. When Iardith, the prettiest and most perfect of all the princesses, is abducted, Rhis and her friends go to the rescue.

What happens to Rhis and her posse has unexpected results not only for the princesses, but for the princes who chase after them. Everyone learns a lot about friendship and hate, politics and laughter, romantic ballads and sleeping in the dirt with nothing but a sword for company. But most of all they learn about the many meanings of love.

Sherwood Smith is the author of over 25 books, in particular stories for children and young adults. She has been writing fantasy since age eight, and her best known novel Crown Duel is currently in its ninth printing.

"Smith has delightful fun playing with princesses, or at least the traditional ideas about princesses from fairy tales and fantasy, in this lively young-adult fantasy.... This charming tale ranges from fairy tale to fluffy Regency-style romance to full-on adventure, with plenty of cliches overturned to entertain readers wanting a little extra bite to their fantasy."
Locus

When Sherwood Smith was eight years old, a girl named Clair walked into her dreams, bringing hints of a world where girls could adventure, live on their own, and best of all, didn't have to grow up.

Clair traveled about looking for girls who needed a home. She even came to Earth, where she found CJ, who did not fit. CJ found herself not only taken to another world to live, but she became the princessClair's "left hand splat." One of her jobs as princess was to write down their records. Another was to serve as leader for the girls when Clair was busy learning to become queen. The girls had jobs too, as they discovered villains who thought it their business to take a kingdom away from a mere girl. From the shadowy Kwenz, a powerful mage with a very wicked past, to the usurper Glotulae and her son Prince Jonnicake, who in their ridiculous way were just as determined to boot Clair out, there were plenty of chances for adventure. And mystery, like why did kids from other times and worlds show up every now and then?

These are the early storieshow Clair found her gang of girls, and how "the M girls" developed the fine art of the Duel to the Pie.

Senrid is a story of swashbuckling boys and girls, royal stakes, mysterious villains, high adventure and strange magic, set in the universe of Crown Duel and Inda, in the tradition of Lloyd Alexander's Westmark and Megan Whalen Turner's The Thief.

Teen-aged king Leander Tlennen-Hess has barely ruled a year when he and his step-sister Kitty (or Princess Kyale, as she wishes to be known) are surprised by two visitors. The first is an adventure-loving girl, Faline, who helps Leander defend his tiny kingdom from invasion by the menacing warrior kingdom Marloven Hess, using only imagination and a bit of magic. The second visitor is a nice, friendly boy... who asks too many questions about the recent defeat of those evil Marlovens.

The nice, friendly visitor turns out to be Senrid, king of Marloven Hess.

But Senrid is king in name only. His uncle, the regent, holds power and Senrid must prove himself to be sufficiently strong by abducting for execution the two kids who thwarted the invasion.

The only way to save them is to enter the stronghold of the enemy, in flimsy disguise...

Sherwood Smith is the beloved author of over 25 books, best known for her stories for children and young adults. She has been writing in this fantasy milieu since age eight, and her first novel set there, Crown Duel, is currently in its ninth printing.

"Sherwood Smith's Senrid, written when she was fifteen, offers an extraordinary window into the development of a wonderful writer. Here in embryo are all the elements that Smith's fans have come to love."
Justine Larbalestier

"There's a lot of camaraderie, as well as budding sexual tension and never-a-dull-moment momentum."
Kirkus Reviews on Wren's Quest

"A realm in trouble, a spirited female hero with magic to surround her, mystery, romance, an enigmatic marquis, court etiquette and secret messages this is the stuff of dreams!"
Tamora Pierce on Crown Duel